Feb 27, 2018

We called and there were no full sites available but there were about 4 partial sites but we were unable to make a reservation for these. When we got there the partial were still available. Actually I am glad that we were in the partials as we had more room and an nice creek running behind our camper. The full sites were packed in like sardines. When I went to check in they required my DL, my ID card, my vehicle registration for my car and my camper, my insurance on my camper and my dogs shot record. I have stayed at many military campground and I have never had to supply anything but my ID and maybe the dog shot record. I had everything but my insurance card on my phone and they had to have a separate copy of it so I had to email one to them. The dogs shot record I did not have so I called my vet to get it and they said they could FAX it. The campground office did not have a FAX machine and my vet did not have the ability to email it or text it. At this point one employee began making fun of the place I was from. "Where is this place West Virginia", she said. I said no Alabama, she said "oh Alabama", "What kind of place doesn't have email". After begging my vet to ask someone to take a picture of it and text it we got it handled as I was then able to email it. They made me very anxious. Then they began to talk about where they were going to meet after work completely dismissing me. I got no info about the campground except rules that I had to sign, no directions to the camp site I rented, and no info about the bathhouse or laundry. The beach is pretty but because my dog was only allowed in one area that was grassy and muddy I didn't get to enjoy it at all. The laundry was pay machines at $1.75 per load and $.25 for 5 minutes to dry. On the Navy Base and a few other AF Bases the laundry was free. Bottom line though I probably could have overlooked the other inconveniences had the staff been friendlier and not made fun of the place I came from and asked me "are you going back to that place".

March 22-29 2015

We were not sure at all we wanted to come here but curiosity got the best of us and being nearby we drove over to check it out. I'd called in late Feb and was told there was no chance of even overflow, dry camping. Then the conversation turned confusing: something about you had to wait 2 weeks in overflow, then you had to make a reservation 2 weeks out. So I asked to make a reservation for 2 weeks from then and no, that was not possible. When I hung up I just said HUH?? To my surprise when we drove in on March 22 the office staff was super pleasant and said sure we could have a fhu site with no reservation, just come back Tuesday. We did, again very pleasant people in the office, and we got one of the many sites open. That said, we would not come back. I think the place's main appeal is it's the southernmost famcamp outside of Key West, making the winters warmer than the nicer (in our opinion) camps up in the panhandle. The sites are just average, pretty close together, the laundry room is big but not very inviting, same with the bathrooms. The beach is ok for sitting, not for swimming. The base itself is very nice, the commissary and bx are great. The annex on Golf Course Rd was never discussed so I don't know what one has to do to get there. It's a little more open, more of a "country" feel. Has the look of an old mobile home park with the sites very oddly spaced on concrete pads, one for each wheel. There are no facilities at all there. The Tampa traffic alone is enough to keep us away from a second visit. It's just not that nice a place.

February 2014

J.A. left this review using the Directory software: - I don't know why this seems to be so popular. We tried twice during the week we were going to be there to make reservations or get an idea of how long the wait would be and were told, of course, reservations were not taken but have to wait for a spot may be a couple days. When we arrived we were asked if we had reservations. (Wait, I thought you didn't take reservations?) Then they said it maybe a week or longer to get a spot. We set up camp in an open field to wait our turn. The next day they came and said we couldn't camp by the canal so we left. No way were we going to wait a week with no electric or water for an overcrowded space when you are way away from everything. I would have no desire to stay here again. The bay seems to be the only thing they have going for them.

Dec 31 - Jan 4

VERY DISAPPOINTED!!! This is no longer a "recreation" area. It is a HOUSING area for snowbirds, and for some savvy Florida "residents" and contractors!! This is the most disorganized, inefficient camping area I've ever encountered, and I would not even call it a recreation area. I had not been here in 4 years, and boy has it changed. When I called to check, I specifically asked if there would be a space for us. We called less than 2 weeks before we went, and the young man ASSURED us that we would have at least partial hookups, and said to just "pick an open spot" if the office was closed. We drove 8 hours with 2 small kids for a 5-day vacation. WHAT A FIASCO !! We arrived about 4:30 New Year's Eve, the office was closed, and we picked an open spot. There were MANY open spots. The next day, we checked in with the camp host, who said we had to move to "dry camp" overnight (NO hookups of any sort) and then go into the office Jan. 2 at 10 am to get another spot. I went in there at 10 am Jan. 2, waited in a long line for an hour, with other people, only to be told we had to "dry camp" again EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE STILL MANY, MANY OPEN SPOTS WITH FULL HOOKUPS!! We traveled 8 hours to get there, with 2 small children, and bought over $100 worth of food that nearly spoiled. Also, the night we were in dry camp it got pretty cold, and we couldn't run our furnace or even a space heater. At 10 am Jan. 2, the office staff said "come back at noon" to see if we could get a partial or full hookup spot - STILL lots of empties!! - so we did. Then at noon, they said come back at 2. We came back at 2 - "come back at 4" so basically they jerked us around ALL DAY, wasting a full day of our 5-day vacation. Almost all the spaces that were empty the first day were empty throughout our stay. FInally at 4:30 I was completely fed up, told them we'd be leaving the next day, and that I would be contacting the base commander about this fiasco. (Which I certainly will). THERE WERE STILL DOZENS OF OPEN SPOTS, including the one which we'd selected the first night, that remained open the entire 5 days we were there! When I spoke to the manager, an empty full hook up site magically became available!! Mere SECONDS after the same young man I'd spoken to on the phone said there were NONE available and we'd have to dry camp again. HOORAY!! But not before wasting a full day, spoiling some of our food, and spoiling all our fun for 20% of our vacation time, not to mention causing a whole lot of stress. Had we known that this could happen, we could have at least brought our generator along. The fact that, when I called, we were ASSURED at least a partial hookup made this whole ordeal completely unacceptable. When I asked the manager how a site was now available when the guy JUST TOLD ME there weren't any, she said "well, he doesn't know what I see" on her computer. So apparently the folks there will just tell you anything, whether it's true or not. I heard this from lots of people: #1 - Florida residents rent their homes out to snowbirds in the winter for a lot of money, then take their RVs to live at MacDill while pocketing a good profit (renting homes for $2,000 or so per month, staying at MacDill for $600 per month including utilities). #2 - a certain percentage of spots "have" to remain open for active duty personnel (who presumably can just take off whenever they want (yeah, right) and go in with no reservations and no prior planning). #3 - retirees live here half the year (you can stay for 6 months at a time), and a certain percentage of spots are reserved for them. #4 - it's fine for civilian contractors and Reservists or active duty on TDY or PCS to live here, while getting per diem to live out "in town" and to pocket the savings. Now, I'm not bitter or anything, and don't begrudge anyone for taking advantage of a financial loophole especially in this economy, but this is supposed to be a RECREATION AREA, not a housing area. It's my understanding that MWR, non-appropriated funds, etc. are a separate funding stream from housing/BAQ, etc. So why are recreation facilities suddenly turned into housing areas? This used to be my favorite Florida campground. Not any more! Take your chances coming here, and make sure you bring your poop tank, water bottles, extra clothes, fans, heaters, generators, fuel, etc.

Sept 23 to 27 2011

We wanted to be near the beach and marina but was told all those sites where being held for the snowbirds. What a joke the place was 90% empty and in our four days we did not see anyone check in. Our site was next to the entrance and not close to wash rooms or beach or anything. It rained a lot when we stayed there and our site was flooded a lot of the time but I noticed the snowbird site where dryer. Of course the bugs where bad and the place smelled from fowl water. I will stay at a state park next time I want to visit Tampa. They should make the snowbirds stay near the entrance and let guest that only come for a short stay be close to the beach. I thought the Famcamps where for families to get away, not have people live there 6 months out of the year in a mobile home park.

Nov 09- Mar 2010

Not sure why this place is so popular. Must be because it's in Florida. Fire ants have taken over the park, and after a meeting with the famcamp manager, he informed me it was just a fact of life at the base. {I bet the four star's don't have to take care of their own ants} And just to warn you, it's up to you to rid of them or live with them. Also, it's your responsibility to keep your space mowed, they will provide you with a mower. Are you having trouble figuring out just what they do for you with all the rent they collect, me to! It's not clean the bathrooms, they are the dirtiest I have ever seen. It's not provide you with power, {if you are in a 30amp site}. Our voltage was below a hundred all winter. Electrician who worked on it told me the 30 amp sites were all like that. They do plan a lot of outings, but not for your benefit, they are so pricey, no one can afford them, I guess that's so they can afford to pay all those connected to outdoor rec. Most of the famcamper's I talked to told me this is the way it is here. They keep promising updates, but nothing happens. Probably because they have a 200+ waiting list every year. Until we make a stand {and go elsewhere a year or two} and force them to close the place or fix it nothing will change. The base however is fantastic, great comm/bx, gym, golf, and all well taken care of. Wish they would treat the famcamp the same way.